


Under the Mistletoe

by Milkgyu



Category: Splatoon
Genre: Awkward Crush, Christmas, Christmas Party, Eventual Fluff, F/F, Family Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:15:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28093773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milkgyu/pseuds/Milkgyu
Summary: The New Squidbeak Splatoon is holding a Christmas Party! Callie makes a ridiculous suggestion to Marie about her hopeless crush on Four after her previous attempts to woo the agent failed.
Relationships: Agent 3/Agent 8 (Splatoon), Agent 4/Marie (Splatoon), Marina/Pearl (Splatoon)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 40





	1. The One Special Holiday

Marie, admittedly, was never the festive type.

Not that she didn’t liked holidays, it was the contrary actually. Even though she wasn’t as gung-ho as Callie to fully immerse herself into the festive spirit, Marie was still able to appreciate days like Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgiving all alike.

Except for hectic period of work before each holiday. Although the green inkling could not turn down any promotional work and collab that she was interested in.

Last Easter, she and Callie collaborated with Off the Hook for a special radio program. The four of them painted easter eggs in different patterns with acrylic paint and sent them out as gifts for lucky inklings who’d won the lottery.

While they worked on the eggs, Callie and Pearl read out some questions the program staff had gathered on social media fan page for them to answer. Most of them were typical questions that one would normally expect and the rest of the recording went on without a hitch.

Although there was a slight interruption when Pearl suddenly chortled out loud while Marina was reading a fan’s question. The others were supposed to answer while they paint their eggs.

Marie looked up from her own egg, a half-drawn Narwhal (they were drawing their own splatfest preferences to start off) and saw the little gremlin laughing hysterically at an egg in her hands. Marie recognized the light pink egg as Callie’s.

Now Marina had stopped reading the questions too, glancing up from the piece of printed paper in her hands quizzically. Pearl, still choked up from her snickers, flashed the egg to them while she ignored Callie’s embarrassed cries in the background.

It looked to be like a distorted pink creature-like being with a long horn protruding from its forehead. Marie squinted her eyes at the egg before coming to the slow realization that it was a unicorn. A comically drawn one, with horrible body proportions at that. One leg was longer than the others and it had two derpy eyes which stared back at her on the same side of the face.

“Pft.”

Callie let out a cry of frustration at Marie’s reaction. Marina, being the sweetheart she was, tried to comfort the pink Squid Sister.

“I think it’s quite cute, Callie! Especially its eyes!” The octoling continued on with a flourish, “They look like when Pearlie wakes up in the morning!”

“What?! Rina, I do not look that!”

That earned a giggle from Callie. Quick to forget about her awful doodle, she started teasing Pearl about giving the egg to her since they looked so alike. The inkling denied Callie’s gift in a vehement outburst. Marie chuckled airily while Marina giggled.

After that little episode the idols went back to their work. Marina continued to read from her paper and they started answering the fan’s question individually; with occasional playful jabs and jokes poked at each other. While Pearl was responding to a question Callie read out, Marie had already finished her third egg and was starting with the fourth.

What should she draw next? The green inkling pursed her lips in contemplation. She wasn’t a too shabby artist herself, at least when in comparison with her cousin; but if it’s a gift for her fans, then Marie would like it to be decent enough.

Idlily rolling the egg on the surface of the recording studio’s table with her fingertip, Marie listened to Callie talk, almost absentmindedly. Her caramel eyes then fell onto the opened bottle of yellow paint before her.

Fourth egg. Four. Marie unconsciously straightened from her slightly slouched over posture, feeling overly conscious all of a sudden. The adorable grinning face of the yellow inkling flashed before her mind, with the conversation they’d in chat yesterday when she told her what they would be doing today.

Four said that she has never seen any easter eggs up close, let alone even make one. Maybe Marie should paint one for her? Or would it be just weird? Surely giving someone an easter egg on easter itself wouldn’t be strange. Yeah, it had to be.

But to be frank, it was an easy guess on how the agent’s reaction would be if Marie did give her one. First, Four will take it with a smile on her face, thank Marie and examine the egg for a few seconds before tucking it into her bag for safe-keeping. Never to be seen again.

It’d been all the same for her previous gifts to Four. The first gift she gave Four was a multicolored nautical rope bracelet she had custom made, with little alphabet accessories that spelled out her nickname. She recalled how surprised, and slightly reluctant Four looked. Marie insisted that the agent take it as a thank-you for saving Callie and being a friend to her.

Although she wouldn’t expect Four to wear it whenever she comes by for patrols or visits, Marie was still a bit conscious about where she’d put the bracelet. Part of her regretted getting a bracelet for the agent; maybe she should have gotten a fresh pair of non-brainwashing shades or earrings for Four instead, something she would use day-to-day, seeing as the agent had stepped up her fashion game lately…

The same could be said for the small knick-knacks she bought for her. Four was absolutely enamored with the mascot Fresh Fish that had merchandise out a while back. Marie could not see the appeal and had thought the mascot was weirdly amusing in a way with its oversized head and white gloves, if not creepy.

But when she saw the limited edition of a Fresh Fish phone strap being advertised, she ended up using her connections of being a popular star in inkling society and secured one for Four without much thought. Her friend who worked with the manufacturer even threw in some bonuses for her purchase.

Marie opted to give Four her gift while they relaxed on the bench outside Cuttlefish Cabin. Four’s reaction had been bigger this time; her eyes particularly sparking when she reached out to receive the paper bag.

The bag was a limited edition in itself with the Fresh Fish’s head illustration imprinted on it. Marie’s heart warmed as she watched Four reach a hand into the bag, unable to contain her excitement with a huge and somehow, goofy smile on her already cute face. Four was always smiling, but the happiness she radiated that day was akin to that of an innocent child’s unfiltered joy.

The green inkling didn’t realize she’d been spacing out until Callie called her name. Several times even, judging by how they were now looking at her with curious expressions on their faces.

“It’s your turn, Marie.” Marina urged gently.

Marie awkwardly tucked at her front tentacle with a hand. “Sorry. What was the question again?”

“Sure isn’t like you to drift off all of a sudden, Marie.”

Pearl finished with a cackle. Marie felt the urge to roll her eyes at the shorter inkling but refrained. Marina repeated the question, being the angel she was, and she swiftly answered without any trouble.

Marie then caught the eyes of Callie who was still watching her. She raised a brow in silent question at her cousin and Callie let out a knowing smirk. The green inkling made the wise decision of ignoring her pompous cousin and focus on her painting instead.

In the end, the idols had painted enough eggs to do a give-away and the recording session was successful. Marie ended up keeping a few for herself; one of the staff kind enough to help her pack them into a small paper bag once the paint dried. It was less awkward when Callie joined in the notion as well, prompting the two Off the Hook members to follow. Each of them ended up bringing a piece of that day home.

The easter egg she gave Four was dyed yellow and had a blob of squid in the middle. She even used a thinner brush to draw Four’s signature headphones besides the tiny creature.

Marie couldn’t afford to give it to Four when Callie or the other two agents were present. She had a feeling she wouldn’t hear the end of it. But her agent looked happy at the surprise so all well that ends well.

* * *

Now, a few months later, as the chill in Inkopolis gradually got colder and even had some snow fall, Christmas was already just near the corner.

The first joint live of Squid Sisters and Off the Hook had been a tremendous success so their agency decided to hold another one next year around January. The four idols figured they would get some dance practices in together before the holidays, so today they’d gathered in a dance studio that Off the Hook’s manager booked.

“Say, why don’t we hit the agents up and have some party on Christmas Day in the Splatoon hideout?”

Pearl suddenly suggested after she took a sip of water. It was now their five-minute break to cool off some steam before continuing to practice.

“With DJ Gramps too.” She added. “Or you guys have any other plans?”

“This is also Eight’s first Christmas in Inkopolis!” Marina said, wiping off her forehead sweat with a towel. “We want to make it extra special for her.”

Marie and Callie glanced at each other. It was not that they’d any other plans. None of them were dating at the moment and the two cousins already promised to spend Christmas together after the whole brainwashing incident.

“Of course, that sounds like so much fun!” Callie replied. Marie knew at heart her fun-loving cousin couldn’t ever pass up a chance like this. “Me and Marie are planned to spend this year’s Christmas together with gramps, so why not? The more the merrier!”

Marina let out a squeal of excitement at Callie’s words, clapping her hands together in glee.

“Ehh.” Pearl had a look of surprised on her face. She turned to Marie, sprouting a suggestive grin. “Not having any lovely-dovely Christmas dates?”

Marie had grown accustomed to the occasional shades Pearl would throw at her. She shrugged her shoulders, “I broke up a while ago so my schedule is free.”

Pearl’s eyes widened, clearly not expecting such answer. Marie let herself have a bit of fun at the inkling's reaction, grinning. Pearl's reaction was normal because she would usually just say something sarcastic in reply or straight up ignore her. Even though she and the shorter inkling will butt heads at times, she guessed it was their way of getting along. Marie knew Pearl never meant any harm or ill intentions.

“Marie dating?! I wonder if it was the guy she’d some rumors with before…”

“Well, in any case, we should ask the agents about it too.” Pearl waved off Marina’s muttering in the background nonchalantly; as if it was a common occurrence she had to deal with. “Leave Eight to us, we will ask her. You guys are in charge of Three and Four, yeah?”

Callie replied enthusiastically, pumping her fists up in the air while Marie only gave a nod. Under the green inkling’s bland demeanor though were butterflies in her stomach at the thought of spending Christmas with Four.

Okay, so what if she was crushing on the agent? Marie didn’t have any quips in dating someone younger than her; Four was actually quite mature that she let herself on. The idol had come to understand that throughout their time together.

If it’s in terms of compatibility, then she reckoned they would have no problems at all. Four was able to take her puns and snarky attitude in a stride; sometimes even doing an uno-reverse card to overturn her grouchy mood. Marie recognized the effort Four had made to befriend her and she was glad the agent did.

Although Marie had dated quite a few times, most of the times it was the other party who either confessed or asked her out. So frankly, she had no idea how to deal with her crush on Four.

The spurt of gift-giving phrase was one of her tactics but it seemed to be ineffective. She should consider taking another approach.

While the idol was lost in her thoughts, they already finished practice for the day. Callie and Marie waved Off the Hook goodbye, then began walking to the parking lot where their car was parked.

“So, Marie, any ideas when your gonna give your Christmas gift to agent four? Since we’re gonna have a party with the others.”

Marie almost tripped over nothing on the gray concrete. The tease in Callie’s voice couldn’t be any more blatant. She adjusted her duffel bag strap that was slung over her left shoulder and said almost in a huff, “When you aren’t there.”

“Oh, come on! I can help you; I know how hopeless you are with Four.”

“I am not hopeless.” Marie corrected, “I’m just not sure how to further our relationship at the moment.”

The idol heard Callie mutter “Isn’t that the same?” under her breath at her words. They were nearing their car now, and Marie took out the keys from her bag, pressing a button to unlock the doors.

“I just wanna take things slow, Cal.” Marie explained while she got inside the car. She was the one driving home since Callie drove them to the studio this morning.

Her cousin let out a sigh of comfort after settling herself in the passenger’s seat. “I know, but if you ask me, I think you have a chance with Four. It’s obvious that she thinks highly of you.”

Marie started the car, checking the rear mirrors for any upcoming other vehicles before reversing out of the parking space. “As a friend and coworker.” She added.

“That kind of thinking ain’t gonna get you anywhere, agent two!” Callie replied, giving her cousin a playful punch on the shoulder. She ignored Marie’s ‘I’m driving, Cal’ and continued. “Maybe you can confess on Christmas, or try to make a move on Four under the mistletoe!”

Marie snorted at the somehow ridiculous suggestions, but kept her eyes on the hectic road. “We don’t even have a Christmas tree in that small little shack, let alone a mistletoe. And I can’t just kiss anyone in public.”

“Then let’s go buy one! We can’t just let the others have the party in the cabin without any Christmas spirit!” That seemed to rile Callie up. “And I will go find a nice, secluded place in Octo Canyon to hang the mistletoe so you and Four can go afterwards!”

Marie hummed, pressing on the brake pedal in front of a red light. She wasn’t sure about the whole mistletoe thing, but it was true that the shack was in needed of some decorations if they were gonna hold the party.

“We should probably make the place look a bit nicer if the others are coming.” She then added, “Excluding the mistletoe.”

A groan sounded besides her. “Fine, fine.” Callie answered, relenting. “Let’s pick a date to go shopping for a tree and some decorations. We have a lot to buy if we’re gonna make Gramps’s cabin look decent.”

“Sure.” Marie paused briefly, eyes still on the road. “Say, Callie, why are you so insistent on me and Four?” she asked, “You weren’t this way when I dated before.” Remembering how Callie would frown whenever her previous girlfriend came to visit her in their apartment.

Her cousin had answered her question quicker than she anticipated. “Because it’s agent four, of course!” Callie said in a matter-of-fact tone. “I see how Four treats you, even with your sassy and sometimes grouchy attitude. You don’t come across anyone like her every day.”

Marie had no words of rebuttal, so she simply settled with a “true.” She dated both guy and girl inklings before; Marie considered herself as a bisexual. But she had a feeling most of them asked her out because she was Marie of the famous Squid Sisters; dating her was like a bragging right for them.

Not that she minded, most of the time. Her exes themselves were pretty prominent figures in the inkling entertainment industry as well. In a way they were both leeching off of each other, which doesn’t sound so good. But Marie figured this was normal for star inklings and it was fine as long as they liked each other.

There was the exception of one girl that Marie had taken quite a liking to, but she ended up being too much for her to handle due to her abrasive personality. They were the same age but the inkling had the tendency to be spoiled and was sometime insecure.

Marie tried her best to cater to her needs but all of it went down to the drain in the end. The idol just couldn’t hold back her sharp tongue. She later ended the relationship with the excuse that they weren’t compatible and stopped dating since then.

It goes without saying that Callie was pretty ecstatic when she told her that they broke up. Marie herself had been quite cool with it too; sure, she felt sad that the relationship didn’t work out but it didn’t last long either.

“Your girlfriend back then was an insecure bitch, by the way.”

Marie chuckled at Callie’s somehow sour tone. Her cousin had been accepting of the particular inkling at first, but everything soon turned south when the girl asked Marie to move out and live with her. Her reasoning was that she didn’t like her living with Callie, even though they were just cousins. Marie rejected her but the inkling ended up going to Callie and saying what she’d thought of them living together. After that, Callie never once gave a good expression to the inkling whenever she stopped by.

“I know.” Marie agreed in an attempt to soothe her cousin. Her eyes were still looking out at the roads so she couldn’t see Callie’s expression.

There was a momentary silence. “You know Marie, I like Four. As a close friend, I mean. She saved me from the octarians and even checks up on us from time to time with food from Crusty Sean. And I can tell you like her a lot too, even more than your previous exes, so I want things to work out between you guys.”

Marie was about to reply, but Callie was not finished. “I know I’m rushing you to get together with Four, but that’s because I love you guys and want you two to be happy. Especially you, Mar.”

Marie’s eyes widened slightly at the sudden heartfelt confession. They had now stopped at another red light, just mere minutes away from their apartment. With her hands still on the sterling, she took the moment of vacancy to look at her cousin, who’d a serious expression on her face now.

“This is unusual of you.” Marie remarked casually, “For being so serious.”

Callie looked about to say something but the green inkling interrupted her.

“And yeah, I know. I might like Four more than I realize.” Marie continued, “But this is why. The more I like her, the more I’m afraid of destroying our current relationship. Four might appear friendly and excitable on the outside, but she’s actually quite guarded inside. I am still not sure what happens if I confess now.”

Her cousin seemed deflated at hearing the last few sentences. “But that’s…”

Marie smiled, feeling warm inside with the fact that her cousin was this insistent with her and Four being a thing. “But I am glad I won’t have to deal with you sulking if I do end up dating Four.”

“Of course!” Callie exclaimed, her usual vigor coming back. “Four is way, waaaay considerate and kind than her!”

The topic of her latest ex always managed to rile up Callie, no matter how long it had been. Marie laughed when she started on a rant. It was so nice to have Callie back, her best friend that she grew up with; and she’d Four to be thankful for it too.

“Thanks, Cal.”

* * *

End notes:

Marie: *crosses off attempts to woo Four on her journal, frustrated* Why aren't these working?!

Four: Marie is so generous lately. She must really want to pay me back for saving Callie. They are so close.

Callie: Fight on, Marie!


	2. The Preparations

Today was the day she and Callie would go to Arowana mall and shop for Christmas decorations together. With the usual disguise of her hat and mask, Marie was now sitting at a secluded corner in the Arowana Café. She pressed at her phone, replying Callie’s message that she would be there in ten minutes.

The two of them were supposed to come out together but there had been a sudden change to Callie’s schedule. Apparently, there was a mishap that collided her cousin’s schedule with another inkling star and her manager was asked if Callie could come in on a Saturday to finish up the recording. The other inkling had no further open time aside from Callie’s slot. So, they decided to meet up in the mall instead.

Tapping out of Callie’s chat box, Marie saw two unread messages from another recipient. Her smile widened underneath the mask. She pressed into the chat that labelled ‘Four’ with a yellow inkling and small heart emoji besides it.

_Four_  
_Me, Eight and Three are planning to do some shopping together later too. For the Christmas exchange presents._

Once all the agents had confirmed their attendances, Marina had suggested another activity of exchanging presents in their Christmas party. The idea was well-received and everyone agreed.

_Wow, where?_

_Four_  
_Haven’t decided yet xD I’m still at home and Eight is coming over soon. Three will only come when her patrol finishes at Octo Canyon around noon ***dead emoji***_

Typical of agent three. Marie thought while she typed in response to Four. The party was on after the confirmation of the three agents, even though Four secretly told her over text that Three almost ended up not going if it wasn’t for Eight. Marie was surprised to find that octoling agent had turned out to be standoffish Three’s soft spot. Not that she herself was any different.

She chatted with Four for a little while. The agent was waiting for Eight to arrive at her place and she even joked about getting Three to try on some different clothes from what she usually wore when they go shopping.

_Four_  
_I will talk Eight into it too. Three will have no choice but to comply. ***evil smile***_

Marie grinned at the image of Three in a cute sailor’s uniform or even skirts with that indifferent expression of hers. She was about to ask Four to take a picture in case it did happen when her phone rang, her chat with the agent transitioning into the caller screen. The idol accepted the call. 

“Hello,” Marie spoke, “Callie?”

“Marie! I am at the entrance already. Where are you?”

“At the café outside.”

“Do you wanna come here? Or me to go meet you?”

Marie thought about it for a bit. The café she’s currently at was located way behind the mall. The places they would have to go shopping for decorations were at the front.

“I will go meet you then.”

“Okay, but hurry! I’m in my disguise but it’ll only be a matter of time before anyone notices me, I don’t wanna be mobbed by screaming fans!”

Marie chuckled. “I don’t mind seeing that.”

There was the sound of slight shuffling and Callie’s voice sounded muffled. “Then you will be mobbed with me! Who knows when we will be finished by then?”

“Alright, alright.” Marie replied, standing up from her seat. “I’m going now. Be careful not to get mobbed.”

“Okay, you got the car right?”

“Yup.” Not that she would take the metro to the mall. Marie wouldn’t want to put herself in self-induced, unnecessary troublesome situations.

“See you, then!”

“See ya.”

Hanging up, Marie swung her sling bag over her shoulder and adjusted her mask. She typed into her and Four’s chat box.

_Meeting Callie now, gotta go rescue her before she gets mobbed by screaming fans in the mall and drags me into too. Not a pretty sight lol_

_Four_  
_Omg. Alright, have fun!_  
_Btw, Eight just arrived_

There was a picture that showed the pink octoling staring innocently into the camera while she munched on a squid-shaped cookie. Marie figured Four must have taken it without the agent knowing and grinned. She sent a ‘how cute’ with a laughing emoji before slipping the phone into her jeans pocket. Marie decided to take her half-finished latte with her, walking out of the café.

When she arrived at the entrance, Callie was nowhere to be seen. Marie was about to grab her phone and call her cousin when she noticed a head had poked out from a side corner besides the large, automatic glass door. The person wore a pair of sunglasses over her eyes.

“Sorry I’m late, Cinderella.”

Marie joked as she walked towards Callie. At closer scrutiny she was wearing a pink buttoned overcoat and a light brown beanie over her head.

Callie pouted her lips lightly at Marie’s sentence. “You came faster than I expected so I will forgive you for making that terrible joke.” Her eyes were soon drawn to the cup she held in her hand. “What’s that?”

“latte. It’s still warm.” She handed it towards her cousin. “Want some?”

Callie took the cup without much thought.

“You know your actually getting more attention to yourself by acting like that, right?”

Marie couldn’t help but ask as her cousin took a few sips from the cup.

“At least I was in the corner.” Callie replied after she finished. “Last time I waited in the open, several inklings came up to me for autographs before I even realized it.”

Marie grinned in response and said nothing. The two cousins then decided to start their shopping, mainly for the Christmas decorations first before they get distracted by other stores. Marie had put on her black overcoat with fur collar over her white shirt. Although the mall provided heating in winter, it was still considered somehow cold for her; she’d always been sensitive to the cold.

Shopping for the decorations would have been much easy and faster if Callie could stop trying to convince Marie to get weird ones. Getting the squid ornaments were already enough, and yet her cousin wanted to buy an ornament that had the image of Father Squidmas’s butt sticking out of a chimney.

“No.” Marie said, crossing her arms together. She narrowed her eyes at the ornament and wondered what inkling had come up with such an idea. It was amusing, sure, but to think that the manufacturer actually went through with it too. 

Callie clutched onto the stupid-looking ornament and rapidly blinked her eyes.

“…Ugh, fine.” Marie yielded, before adding seriously. “Just one, though.”

Her cousin beamed, happily putting the weird ball into their basket Marie was carrying. As Callie walked ahead to pick out more decoration in springy steps, Marie glanced down into her basket and onto the ball that had its butt that facing towards her. She sighed.

Was she destined to always lose to inklings who are good at making puppy faces with those big round eyes?

First was Callie, and then it was a certain yellow inkling that she now has a crush on.

Way to go, me.

Her self-roasting thoughts were then interrupted by Callie, who waved at her to come to the Christmas trees section ahead. Marie shook the thoughts out of her head and walked to where Callie was. She had to get her act together and restrain her cousin from buying any bizarre trees that would set the party in a weird mood.

Half an hour in, the two had finished shopping of decorations for the shack. Fortunately, Callie was still not a lost cause, as she’d chosen a surprisingly normal fake green pine tree. They settled for a middle-sized one that they were sure could fit inside the cuttlefish cabin, even though Callie initially had her eyes on a bigger tree.

Marie requested the staff for a delivery of the tree to their apartment a few hours later. They wanted the leisure of walking around the mall without having to lunge along a fake Christmas tree. With each of the cousin carrying a plastic bag filled with decorations, they set off from the department store to their most-awaited activity – window shopping and buying gifts for the present exchange.

It had been a while since the two of them walked around Arowana mall, checking new stores that opened and their old favorites. They stopped by several spots that they thought would make good gifts for anyone, and even though the Squid Sisters had been asked for pictures when they were in some shops, most inklings around them decided to leave them alone.

Either not seeing through their disguises or simply leaving them alone to enjoy the festive Christmas spirit of the mall.

Having to walk around for a while, they decided to grab something to eat before heading back. By now the two cousins had each been carrying quite a few bags, the results of an ever-so-addicting shopping spree.

Marie looked at her phone; it was almost 4pm now. Three would have returned from her patrol and gone shopping with Four and Eight. She wondered where they could have gone. Four hasn’t said anything after she received Marie’s message, aside from a smiling sticker.

“Hey, Marie.” Callie suddenly nudged at her shoulder, pointing to a distance. “Aren’t those…?”

Marie looked up from her phone. Her eyes widening when she realized that in the distance, walking out of one shop were the three agents of Squidbeak Splatoon dressed in casual clothing. 

Three was in her usual t-shirt and matching shorts. She also wore a black mask on her face. The inkling's expression remained as stoic as ever, walking side to side with Four and Eight while she held a cup of drink in her hand. Eight looked very happy to be in the mall with the two agents, talking more than usual and gesturing animatedly with one hand. 

“Wow, what a coincidence.” Callie mumbled besides her.

Marie thought so too. There was Four laughing, dressed in a white long-sleeved sweater with jeans, her pilot shades clipped onto her collar. She felt her cheeks warm slightly at the sight; Four usually wore simple t-shirts to the shack before changing into her hero suit since it was easier that way. The two of them never met outside much due to her being a pop star, paparazzi all that; but Marie did watch a few live turf wars Four participated in and noticed that the yellow inkling had stepped up her fashion game even more recently.

“Stop drooling, Marie.”

She snapped back to reality at Callie’s suggestive words.

“I-I’m not!” Cod, one of her hands would have gone up to wipe at her mouth instinctively if it wasn’t for the bags she was carrying.

Callie smirked, an expression she’d been making more and more after she knew her cousin had a crush on one of the agents. “Well, should we say hi? It would be rude to just walk away after seeing them.”

“…Sure.” Marie replied, resisting her urge to smack Callie on the head for that stupid smirk.

“It’s settled then!”

Instead of walking ahead to catch up with the agents, Callie pulled out her own phone. Marie stared at her in confusion before realizing what her mischievous cousin was going to do.

Callie pressed the phone onto her ear. In the distance, Marie saw that Four had abruptly stopped walking and glanced to her phone that was in her hand. Three and Eight stopped as well, looking back at the yellow inkling with puzzled expressions.

“Hello, Four?” Callie said.

Four had picked up her call in the distance, speaking into it.

“Oh, nothing. Marie told me you and the other two were going shopping today. Did you guys get things done?”

Marie stared at her cousin feigning innocence. As expected of a film star.

“Your all done and planning to grab a bite to eat? Well then!” Callie beamed, “Look behind you guys! What do you say we all go get something to eat together?”

Upon Callie’s sentence, Four glanced over her shoulder with the phone still pressed against her right ear. Three and Eight followed her gaze.

Marie met Four’s startled eyes with her own. She felt the corners of her mouth twitch, while Callie waved at the three agents, and tried to smile.

* * *

“When Eight said she wanted to go to Arowana mall, I thought what if you and Callie had come here too.”

Four explained with a short laugh. She and Marie were now standing outside the Sticky Squid candy shop, to which Eight’s footsteps had faltered slightly when they passed by. Three was, surprisingly, the one to ask Eight if she wanted to go in and have a look in that low voice of hers.

When Eight nodded, albeit a bit shyly, Callie had gone ahead and pulled both of them into the shop with her. Leaving a stunned Marie with Four standing beside her.

“Callie sure is energetic today, huh.” Four commented.

Marie closed her eyes. She knew exactly what her beloved cousin was doing.

“She gets hyper when holidays are coming.” Marie replied, eyes still closed.

Four let out a short hum in reply. “Decorations for the shack?” she asked, laying eyes on the bundle of bags Marie carried.

Marie awkwardly lifted them up, “Just one bag. The others are my own stuff.”

Four ooh’ed in reply. “Eight and Three are not very good at choosing gifts, apparently. I mean, I get Eight, but for Three to struggle.” She curled the end of her lips, suppressing another laugh in remembrance at how intensely Three stared at the two scented candles on the shelf while she tried to make a decision.

Four would have thought the candles as octarian enemies if she only looked at Three’s face.

Marie did not know what the agent was smiling about, but she grinned too nevertheless. Not that Four could see it anyway; she still had her mask on.

“Three is kind of socially inept from way back we met her, I would imagine socializing with the octarians so much doesn’t really help either.”

“Don’t let Three hear you.” That was what Four said, but she burst into laughter at Marie’s comment. “She was kinda cute though, not gonna lie, different from the aloof and silent agent three who never talks.”

Marie felt her heart warming. Talking with Four was really rejuvenating; different from her previous exes where she would have to pay close attention to her words and not accidentally upset them. Did she mention some of them even hated her puns? The nerve.

“Our luck to have to buy two presents though.” Marie continued nonchalantly.

When Four told her she was going back to her parents’ house for Christmas outside of Inkopolis, Marie had jokingly said what a shame; she was going to give Four a present too. That then prompted Four to insist that the two of them exchange gifts before she goes back. Then Pearl went ahead and suggested the Christmas party.

Four crossed her arms cross her chest, though it looked kind of restraining because she was holding some shopping bags herself.

“Well, I was surprised at the sudden invitation to a Christmas party myself. But hey,” she turned to the idol and grinned, showing her canine teeth, “I’m not complaining about getting two presents.”

Marie felt her heart skip a beat at the sunlit smile. “Sounds about right.” She forced out, reverting her eyes from Four to the inside of the candy shop.

Callie stood behind Eight and Three, watching the two go through which type of candy mixed rock to pick. Occasionally the octoling with a black and white bandana tied around her head would turn to the inklings behind them, likely to be asking for opinion, and Callie would talk as Three nodded.

“Were your parents okay, though?” Marie asked. “Coming back to Inkopolis just for the party.” Four was supposed to remain in her hometown until the New Years before coming back; but she modified her schedule to go back for Christmas’ Eve and then take the train back here for the party.

“It’s fine.” Four replied, waving a hand at her. “I’m gonna go back home the next day for New Years anyway. They wouldn’t loss sleep just over a day.”

Marie chuckled. “Whatever you say, kiddo.”

The yellow inkling paused. Marie noticed her movements and said, “What?”

Four shook her head. “Nothing. It’s just that, I never heard you call me that for a while. I was just surprised.”

“Did you miss it, kiddo?” Marie added teasingly.

The agent scratched at her cheek. A habit Marie noticed she would do whenever she got embarrassed or shy. “I’m not sure. I was fine with it at first, but now that we are a lot closer, it feels…weird.” She explained, “Like it makes me conscious our age difference, and that your actually older than me.”

Marie maintained a neutral expression on the outside, but inside she was feeling a bit giddy that Four admitted they are closer now.

“Age doesn’t really matter.” She answered. On the contrary, Marie had thought Four acted more mature than her ex, and she was older.

“Yeah, it doesn’t.” Four echoed her words as if she’s convincing herself. All of a sudden, the agent felt some weight on her head and she looked aside to see Marie’s hand patting her.

Four’s yellow eyes widened at the sudden gesture. Marie had never done this before. “Hey, you treating me like a kid even though you just said age doesn’t matter.” She tried to joke in hiding her sudden surge of embarrassment.

Marie’s hand was still on her head, the idol raised a pretty brow at her. “Patting your head doesn’t mean you’re a kid.”

“Then what does it mean?” Four asked.

“It means you are cute.”

The sentence came out as easily as Marie had usually thought to herself. She tried to suppress the heat waves she felt spreading to her cheeks and maintain a cool composure. Even when she was dating, she was not the one to dish out compliments to her partner. It was usually the other way. But with this, at least Marie could confirm something.

Slowly retracting her hand from Four’s head, the idol glanced briefly at the agent who had gone silent and saw a surprising sight.

Four was blushing. Even the tips of her pointy ears were visible with yellow.

Marie had a sudden urge to hug Four then and there. She resisted herself, not wanting to scare the agent, and tried to ease the mood.

_Calm down, Marie…_

“That little compliment made you blush already, kiddo?” The idol flashed Four one of her famous smirks. “You need more training.”

Four looked up to her, the blush on her cheek gone. For a moment the inkling looked agitated.

“Y-You are teasing me!”

“Fast to catch on, eh, squiddo?”

The agent blushed again, but this time it seemed to be stemmed from anger rather than embarrassment. Marie was entering into a teasing mode now, trying to pat Four on the head again, but the yellow inkling moved away and glared at her; which wasn’t intimidating at all, Marie just responded with a grin.

“They sure are having fun.”

Callie whispered to herself, having to have watched the two interact for a while now. She couldn’t help it; Marie was the type to put her partner above herself, despite how abrasive she may come off at first. Any inkling who got into her heart would be lucky, because Marie would do anything for them.

Her previous girlfriend had been going around bragging to well-known celebrities that she was dating Marie of the Squid Sisters. Callie had caught wind of it when she was filming onset. She went to talk with the inkling about it afterwards, gently reminding her to not start any rumors that might affect the both of them, but she just brushed Callie off and walked away,

That was the moment when she realized the inkling may just be using her cousin. She tried talking to Marie about it, but her cousin simply reassured her that the inkling meant no harm. And frankly, she hasn't been so happy about it since then.

It goes without saying that Callie had been undeniably happy when Marie told them they’d broken up afterwards, but her cousin never shown any interest in dating since then. Callie was worried if Marie was still mending her broken heart from her last relationship, but before she’d the chance to ask, they started drifting apart from each other, she got kidnapped and then Four showed up.

Marie may not know herself, but Callie could tell from a glance how much she liked Four. She was not her best friend and cousin for nothing! Callie also knew that Four tried to comfort Marie when she was gone – she asked the agent herself. It was considered a somehow unusual occurrence because Four and Callie were alone; Marie had gone out for urgent work and the agent came to visit.

_“That was nice of you, agent four. Marie isn’t exactly the kindest to strangers when she’s worried or depressed about something.”_

_“I somehow get you, but she’s also my mentor and boss? I just felt wrong to leave her like that when she was so sad about you.”_

_“Not because she’s one of the Squid Sisters?”_

_Four looked surprised at the sudden question. “I never thought about it, to be honest.” She replied, and Callie could tell the squid was truthful. “I just thought I have to do something, so that our mission through the octarians’ lairs wouldn’t be so awkward, you know? For the long run.”_

That’s why she was so insistent about the two.

But it seems like Marie still has a long way to go – if the most she could do to flirt with Four was just patting her head.

* * *

End notes

Marie: I-I also complimented her okay!

Callie: Try making even a bolder move, I dare you.

Marie: …

Four: *blushing inner dialogue* omgmariecalledmecuteoosjdhfjfkkkkh

Three: …? 

Eight: *busy eating sticky squid candies* OwO?

I don’t know if anyone noticed in the Good Hair Day splatoon animation, but Marie had Four’s name labelled with a yellow squid and red heart when it showed her phone.

Same goes to the 5 Second Rule, I always found Callie’s smirk around the 1.56 mark really suggestive. Or it just might be my yuri goggles..

Next chapter on 20th! Thanks for reading and the kudos!


	3. The Party

“Callie! Did you eat the all of crabby cakes again?”

“No,” There was a muffled munching sound. “DJ Octavio totally climbed out of his snow globe and ate them while you aren’t looking.”

“…You honestly expect me to believe that?”

Four could hear the cousins’ conversation in the kitchen all the way from the living room. Except that the living room and the kitchen was just a few steps apart; cuttlefish cabin was quite small. The ‘living room’ was a Japanese-styled space with traditional paper sliding doors and a kotatsu in the middle. The kitchen at the left side, although small, had a refrigerator, stoves, oven and other utensils. 

The agent always had a fascination with minkas; the house she lived with her parents all her life was just a plain two-storey bungalow. She’d wondered how such a small shack could be so compacted and yet filled with the necessities. 

Four smiled at the Squid Sisters’ banter. Those two are so close. She marvelled to herself. Four never had any close cousins in her family; most of them were years older than her, either no interest in socializing or weren’t even there whenever family gatherings were held. Watching Marie and Callie made her feel envious at times. 

She continued to decorate the tree that was set in the corner the room, right behind the red kotatsu. A box filled with wreaths, candy canes, bells and more ornaments sat quietly besides her leg. Four caught herself almost humming Christmas songs while she hung up some squid décor onto the pine tree. She’d took the morning train to Inkopolis on Christmas Day today and went straight to Octo Canyon, not even stopping by her own apartment in the city. 

Four called Marie when she arrived at the cabin and she opened the sliding door (obstructed by a large green cuttlefish fabric) to let her in. The cousins were busy preparing ingredients for the hotpot tonight so she asked if there was anything she would help with. Callie poked her head out of the kitchen’s door, knife in hand, and said Four could get a head start on the tree. 

Four, who’d never decorated a Christmas tree before, nodded eagerly. That seemed to get a chuckle out of Marie who was watching her. The agent shot her a look of questioning and she shook her head, lips still curled. Four decided to drop it; Marie’s attitude towards her greatly changed overtime. From being critically abrasive, making her uncomfortable at every given chance to tiny suggestive smiles and smirks that made Four’s heart skip a beat sometimes. 

Marie came back with an opened box. She placed it aside the agent’s pack bag by the kotatsu she’d been sitting in. 

“You start anytime you finish eating, kiddo.” 

Four nodded, replying in a muffled voice while she chewed on the juicy pulp inside her mouth. As she reached a hand out to peel another slice, the agent felt a weight on her head. It only lasted for a brief second though; Marie had already turned around and went back to helping Callie in the kitchen.

The yellow inkling stared after the idol’s nonchalant back. There was this too. Four continued to munch on her fruit, feeling the familiar warmth spread across her cheeks. 

Thankfully Marie couldn’t see her face. Four thought as she continued hanging the bells. The tree was halfway finished but it already looked decent enough. She reached a hand into the box but paused when she saw a red butt. 

Four squinted her eyes at the Christmas bell she was holding. 

It was...Father Squidmas being stuck in a chimney. 

“Callie insisted we buy that.”

Marie’s voice came behind her. Four turned around to see the idol standing, still in her shirt but she’d an overcoat on now alongside her usual mask and hat.

“Are we, uh, putting this on?” Four asked. “And you’re going out?”

Marie narrowed her eyes at the ornament before saying. “We bought it, might as well. Just hang it behind the tree or something.” She adjusted the helm of her hat, “I’m going out to take more crabby cakes from our apartment, since a certain someone ate it all. Luckily I got some hidden supplies.”

The agent chuckled at her expression. “Alright.”

Marie took a moment to look at Four, as if she wanted say something else but didn’t. “Well, I’m going.”

“See you.”

Then the idol was off, closing the sliding door and stepping out to the snow. Four shivered slightly at the cold wind that wandered in when Marie opened the door. Callie was still working away in the kitchen, if the chopping sounds were any indication, and the agent went back to her own work.

Still, she didn’t know they’d made Christmas ornaments this weird now. Four stared at the ball and glanced to the tree. Marie said to hang it behind it, but it would be a shame for this ball to go unnoticed by the others. Four thought this was a pretty genius and funny idea for a pattern. 

The agent inched over to tree and took off the squid ornament that was hung in the middle of the fake pine tree. She replaced the squid ball with struggling Father Squidmas stuck inside a chimney. Four took a step back to admire it in all of its glory and broke into a giggle. 

This was perfect. 

She was still admiring her handy work when her phone rang. Four reached over the kotatsu table to grab it; the caller was Three.

“’Ello?”

“Four.” Three’s cool voice sounded from the other line, “Are you at cuttlefish cabin? Me and Eight are planning to go there now.”

Four’s unoccupied hand grabbed a candy cane and placed its hook over the tree’s spiky tip. “I am. I’m decorating the Christmas tree now.”

There was a slight pause from the other line. “I see.” Three replied, “We have to bring our gifts too, right? Just making sure.”

“Yup.” Four answered. Three was obviously a bit flustered; maybe Marie was right that the agent doesn’t attend these kinds of events much. 

“Got it. …Eight?”

Three’s voice sounded a bit puzzled. Then Four heard Eight’s voice, still speaking slightly flimsy Inklish in her octarian accent. But the octoling had improved tremendously in these past months, compared when she first came from Deepsea Metro. Three stayed quiet while Eight talked.

“What’s up?” Four asked once Eight’s voice stopped. 

“Eight said she wanted to stop by Crusty Sean’s truck for a bit. We haven’t eaten lunch yet.” Three explained, “Do you want anything? Callie and Marie too.”

Four leaned back onto the kotatsu, contemplating where would she put the next ornament next. The party was starting tonight at six, and it’s only half past one now. 

“Hold on, lemme ask Callie. Marie went out to get something so she’s not here.”

There was a sound of approval on the other line. Four walked over to the kitchen and saw Callie chopping on some veggies while she hummed, even doing a little twirl. 

“Callie, Three and Eight are coming but they are stopping by Crusty Sean for a bit. Want anything for lunch?”

The pink Squid Sister turned around and nodded. She told the agent her choice of food, but when Four asked what Marie would have wanted, she just grinned. 

“Anything for Marie should be fine. You decide, Four.”

Four looked confused. “Really?”

Callie replied with a cheery “yup!” and turned her back on Four to continue cutting. Four, obviously still perplexed, knew Three was waiting so she just told her to get two sets of Super Seanwich with guava juice. She remembered how Marie said it tasted good before.

Three confirmed their choices over the phone and they hung up. Four walked back to her own station, sat down on the tatami floor again and continued on decorating.

* * *

The trip back to her and Callie’s apartment took longer than she expected. Since it was snowing, they didn’t take the car with them to the plaza. Marie had a bit trouble trudging through the inches of snow piled up in the plaza and on her way to the apartment. It’d started snowing the night before and was still going strong now. 

At this rate, the traffic may be jammed with layers of snow before night time. Maybe Four won’t even be able to go back to her hometown, then she could maybe convince her to stay at the cabin till the snow lets up or something...That will give Marie some time to maybe confess? She still wasn’t sure. Callie’s words in the car that day kept echoing in her mind. 

Marie had tried to take the initiative in pursuing a relationship with Four, even though she wasn’t sure whether to confess yet. Four, to some extent, did like her back. Marie vaguely felt. She tested for the agent’s reactions by teasing her and eliciting some sort of skinship between them. Four had either blushed or looked embarrassed. 

Every time that happened it filled Marie with some hope that her crush might not just be a hopeless cause. But a small part of her hesitated; what if she and Four did end up dating, but they then separated from some stupid reason? She would be more heartbroken than she’d liked to admit; just thinking about it now made her heart ache, and they weren’t even dating! It was these thoughts that made Marie reluctant to take action. 

The idol then realised she had been overthinking again. She shook her head and let the piercing cold wind blow away her insecure thoughts while she neared the grate that led to Octo Canyon. 

“I’m back.”

Marie said while she slid open the door to the shack. She found herself being stared at by several pairs of eyes after taking off her shoes. 

“Welcome back, Marie!” Her cousin greeted. Callie and the three agents were currently huddled under the kotatsu with what she could smell was food from Crusty Sean on the table. 

“I didn’t realize we were having lunch.” 

“Three and Eight bought for us before they came.”

She walked into the kitchen to put away the crabby cakes that she’d stored away in a container. Marie then saw that the vegetables and ingredients for their hotpot had been washed and cut properly. She put the container of crabby cakes into the fridge and walked to where the Splatoon members were chilling.

“Come on, Marie. We have your share too.”

The idol noticed the somehow awkward seating arrangement. Three and Eight already took one side of the table, and Callie seemed to be hogging the opposite site with no space left. That meant the only seat left was besides Four. Marie pursed her lips and decided to just go along with it. She walked towards Four and the yellow inkling automatically made more space for her. 

“Here’s yours.” Four pushed a wrapped sandwich towards her. “Super Seanwich with guava juice, I didn’t know what you wanted so I just got us the same.”

Marie’s fingers stopped unwrapping her food. “What?”

“Callie told me you would be fine with anything, so I got us the same.” Four explained, she then paused briefly before asking, “Or do you not like this? I remember you said it was good before though.” Her brows furrowing. 

Marie shook her head almost immediately. “No, I’m fine. Thanks, Four.” She said to the agent, before glancing to Callie and seeing her cousin wink at her. 

“…”

Oh whatever. 

Marie began eating. Callie and Four resumed their conversation with Eight occasionally joining in, Three being her usual silent self while she tapped on her phone. 

“That reminds me, where is the captain?” Four asked curiously. 

Callie swallowed her piece of guacamole chip. “Gramps went out early this morning saying he got something to do. But he did say that he will be coming back in time for the party.”

Four nodded in understanding. The topic then changed again, Marie being unusually quiet. The kotatsu in cuttlefish cabin was smaller than she’d liked and she could feel their shoulders touching whenever one of them made a movement. The idol took a sip of juice to calm herself down, but jumped from her seat when she felt a leg brush against hers. 

“O-Oh, sorry, Marie.” Four said, grinning somehow awkwardly. “My feet were asleep. I thought I would try moving them.”

Marie bit onto her straw, feeling a bit overly conscious at her reaction. “It’s fine.”

Oh how she felt silly, Marie was not some adolescent teenage inkling that just had their first crush. She dated a few times and should have been used to this by now. 

Get a grip, Marie. The idol scolded herself. On the contrary, seeing Four so composed and like her usual-self made her somehow dejected. She couldn’t help but continue her thoughts from a while ago. Was her hunch that Four liked her back been wrong? Marie felt her spirits dampen at the thought, the food in her hands not as good as it would usually taste.

* * *

“Ayo, everyone!”

Pearl’s loud, obnoxious voice boomed into the little shack as Callie opened the door. Eight’s eyes brightened at the sight of Pearl and Marina appearing at the entrance. Both still in their winter coats, brushing off snow that had fallen on their heads and clothes. Well, except it was Marina who grabbed hold of Pearl from rushing inside and started patting away the snow that’d accumulated on her shoulders. 

“Help me take these inside, Pearlie.” 

Marina said, handing two bags to her. The shorter inkling took it, kicked off her shoes at the entrance and strode inside the cabin. She glanced around before setting eyes on the three agents in the kotatsu. 

“Yo Eight.” Pearl greeted with her usual smirky grin. She turned to the other two agents. “Three and Four too, glad you guys could make it.”

Four smiled, greeting back with a wave while Three nodded in acknowledgement. Eight stood up from the blankets and walked over to the inkling in apparent joy.

“Eight, wanna help me put these anyway? They are for the exchange presents.” Pearl said to the octoling. 

Eight nodded and grabbed one of the bags she was holding, together they walked to the table at the corner of the room which had several wrappings piled on it already. Pearl started looking through each curiously; as if she was trying to guess which gift was from who. She talked with Eight, who replied her excitedly, pointing to one present on the table and they grinned. 

“Sorry we are late,” Marina said to both Callie and Marie at the entrance. She brushed off some snow from her top tentacles, shivering slightly. 

Marie ushered her to come inside. The snow had been smaller but it was still coming down. “Hurry up and come in, we have the heating on.”

Callie was about to grab the octoling’s arm and pull her in, but then Marina smiled, looking somehow troubled. She glanced outside of the cabin. The two followed her gesture, poking their heads out of the door and to their surprise, saw several boxes stacked a few feet away. Marie had a bad feeling about this, so she slipped on her sandals and went into the snow to the examine the stacked boxes. 

While she bended over, she heard snow crunching and soon Callie appeared besides her. She stretched her head over Marie’s shoulder, curious. The green inkling peeled the top box and grabbed a bottle out. It was alcohol. 

There was a moment of silence between them.

“Marina, this is…” Callie turned around to ask the octoling. 

“I’m sorry, I tried to stop Pearlie but she wouldn’t budge! She said something about drinking is a must in Christmas…” 

Marie crouched down and saw that the bottom ones were cans of beer. She recognised the brand; Pearl had not held back when she was choosing the type. She was about to speak up when the shorter inkling’s voice came behind them.

“Ah yea, I almost forgot about those!”

“Pearlie, we should send this back...”

“It’s fine, Rina.” Pearl replied, patting her on the shoulder. She put on her shoes and walked to where the two cousins were, eyeing the stack of alcohol with a satisfied glint.

“I got these imported just in time for the party! We are gonna have a blast tonight, I thought of some drinking games we can play while we drink-”

The pink inkling was stopped by Marie’s glare that practically emitted death. Still holding onto that one bottle with over 40% alcohol rate, Marie calmly slid it inside the top box before turning to face Pearl, her seemingly massive figure towering over her.

“So, you wanted this party to drink, huh?”

Pearl, for once, looked intimidated by the green Squid Sister. Her words started to fumble while she tried giving excuses. 

“What’s there to worry about? Everyone is legal to drink here! A little won’t hurt!”

Then how she started saying how she wanted Eight to get the authentic Christmas experience; how they should be fine even if they all got drunk etc. But Marie seemed to be having none of it. Callie placed a hand on her cousin’s shoulder to stop her.

“Mari-”

“I’m back kiddos, did I miss anything?”

The voice was Captain Cuttlefish’s. Everyone outside the shack froze at his sudden appearance while the old captain morphed from the grates and walked towards them with his crane, smiling through his snowy bread that blended in with Octo canyon’s scenery. He wore an old, slightly tattered blue coat over his usual green tracksuit, glasses but no headphones. 

“Now, why are y’all standing around in the cold for?” Cuttlefish asked, adjusting the rim of his glasses. His bulgy eyes went from his granddaughters to the rapping inkling he recognized as the one helping him and Eight go through Deepsea Metro. “Aren’t we having a party?”

Callie sounded surprised. “Gramps! Your back!” Cod, she’d thought the captain would only come wandering back one hour before midnight. This was a new record. 

“Gramps.” Marie was less enthusiastic. Although her menacing aura did die down at the appearance of her grandfather. Pearl slowly stepped away from the green inkling and turned to face the elderly captain.

“Yo, gramps! How about you and me have a drinking competition? Loser is the worst rapper!”

Marie gave a startle. She certainly was not expecting Pearl to drag her own grandfather into this, bringing up the topic of rapping, no less. “Gramps-”

“Ohohoho! You called it, whipper-snapper!” Captain Cuttlefish immediately fell for the taunt. He stroked at his beard with an unoccupied hand while eyeing the shorter inkling with narrowed eyes. “We couldn’t finish our last rap battle back at the Deepsea Metro!”

“Great, I bought over several kinds, so we can take your time yo!”

…Welp. Marie had to admit, that was some quick thinking to both wiggle out of the situation and get her own way. The idol watched as Pearl led her grandfather to the stack of boxes before them, and like Marie, Captain Cuttlefish immediately noticed the luxurious brand of choice she’d bought over. He took out the exact same bottle that she took out to examine a few moment ago and sounded delighted. 

Pearl complimented his taste and two shared a loud, hearty laugh. Marie pressed at her temples, feeling a headache coming. She decided there was no other choice but to go with the flow, but if anything happens, it won’t be her fault. Marina’s voice came up behind them.

“Sorry, I will keep an eye on Pearlie and everyone to make sure they won’t ger carried away.” The octoling replied, grinning nervously. “I can hold a bit of liquor myself so I should be fine.”

Marie stopped pressing at her forehead and looked towards Marina. “It’s alright, I will help keep watch.” She mumbled under her breath, “I should have expected this anyway. Pearl just won’t make anything be normal…”

Callie quickly followed up behind them. “I will help, too!”

“Cal, you always get carried away with alcohol.” Last time Callie got so drunk she had to drag her out of the party before she made a fool out of herself. Then her cousin proceeded to throw up on Marie’s dress while they were in the car, their manager driving them home.

“That was just one time, Mar!”

“One time was enough; did you know how hard was it to wash off the stains?”

“Eheheh…”

Inside the shack were the three agents, completely oblivious to what had happened outside. Eight was standing at the entrance but could only heard bits of their conversation. Four rubbed at her slightly chilled arms and buried herself deeper into the kotatsu, asking,

“What’s going on, Eight?”

Even Three looked up from her ever-so-interesting phone. 

Eight turned aside to look at her two fellow agents and moved her mouth, seemingly unsure of what she just heard.

“I heard something about…alcohol.”

“What?”

* * *

End notes 

Pearl: We about to get high and drunk tonight!

Cap’ Cuttlefish: Think you can beat me?

Marie: *facepalming*

Callie: *grinning* Relax, everything will be fine!

Marina: *sweating profusely*

Agents: ??

Marie may seem like a party-pooper, but people like her are necessary to stop others from going too far or doing something stupid. I’d my fair share of stupid experiences while drunk, one of them was getting stranded in the train station at 3 am in the morning. x3


	4. The End

Four has never been in a relationship before, believe it or not. 

It was not that she didn’t want to date. The idea of having a relationship was enticing at times, but she sure wouldn’t kill herself over one. The agent also didn’t feel like entering into a relationship with whichever squid that asked her first. 

If someone Four liked asked her, or she really liked that particular inkling, then maybe she would give a shot at it. Though she was, as expected, terribly awkward and shy on romantical advances. But the inkling was trying her best, hey.

Up until now, Four had no idea when exactly she started liking Marie. Heck, she even identified herself as asexual before because all of her friends around her were falling for squids left and right, while she was just…there. 

And the agent certainly did not expect her first crush to be a famous star in inkling society. Four would sometimes laugh at herself; whenever she falls, she falls hard. Recruited to be a secret agent fighting off octarians a month after moving to Inkopolis was no normal occurrence either. Not to mention her undercover mentor, fellow agent and now turned crush was actually a prominent star figure outside the whole Splatoon business. 

Boy, does Four scare herself sometimes. 

Despite the whole fiasco with Callie and the Great Zapfish missing, she was grateful for being at the right place and right time that had herself recruited by Marie. Four could not quite imagine how boring her life would be if she didn’t come walking out of Grizzo Industries on that particular evening, sore and tired from all the pan-spoon smacking she’d gotten that day. 

Back to reality.

Octo Canyon seemed to become even more majestic during winter. The snow blanketed everything it touches in a white sheet of crystalized coat, and even the lone tree in Suction Cup Lookout got a complete makeover in the wintery landscape; its branches piled with accumulated snow from earlier hours.  


The air Four breathed out becoming white puffs in the dead of the night. Luckily, she’d brought her gloves and scarf out. It was colder than she expected. Though the chilling night winds that blew on her face helped her sober up from all the alcohol. 

Currently, Four and Marie were sitting on the top of an abandoned octarian building. It was Marie who said that she wanted to go out for a walk after a while of drinking, and Four had followed the idol outside without much thought.

Marie had been unusually quiet today, her spirits remaining low since this afternoon. Not that she was any nosier normally. Four just felt that something was bothering her. 

The agent turned aside and saw her companion staring at the floating tree in Suction-Cup Lookout. Compared to her, she was wearing a black overcoat with boots and nothing more. No gloves or scarf, the agent wondered if she was cold at all, even though she seemed fine on the outside. But she did notice the idol had her hands secured inside her pockets.

“Aren’t you cold?”

Four asked. Sure, it’d stopped snowing, but that did not mean it was any less cold. And the agent was pretty sure she saw Marie shuffling her hands inside her pockets for a while now. 

The idol shook her head in response, but her body’s reaction could not be any honest. Four decided it was useless to talk with the idol and took off the scarf she’d around her neck. She inched closer to Marie and saw that the green inkling widening her eyes, most likely surprised at her sudden movement. 

“Here.” Four said, wrapping her own scarf around Marie’s neck. “Don’t tell me you don’t need it.” She quickly added afterwards. 

Marie remained oddly quiet after the agent’s kind gesture. Her eyes seemingly glazed off as she touched the scarf Four had wrapped around her. Four swallowed back the lump that suddenly formed in her throat. Marie was weird, too weird today. 

Eventually, the idol lifted her eyes up and locked gazes with Four. Her golden eyes unreadable but there was a hint of foreboding. 

“You’re really one kind of squid, aren’t you?” 

Four chuckled, unsure what to say. “I get cold just looking at you.”

Marie retracted her hand that was touching the scarf and stared ahead. Four recognized that distance glaze into the unknown; she’d seen it a few too many times when Callie was missing. 

The idol was hesitating, as if pondering whether she should be asking such a question. “Four, do you remember that one night when I came back from work and you asked me to go stargaze together?”

“I do.” Four raised a yellow brow, intrigued. “Why?”

“Well.” Marie’s hands were out of her pockets now, she rubbed at them together in fiction for heat. “I was wondering why you asked me. I wasn’t exactly the friendliest squid at that time, the whole thing with Callie kinda depressed me.”

Four suddenly thought of that one time when Callie asked the roughly same question. She guessed that being a famous celebrity does plant some doubts into whether your relationship with someone was genuine or not. 

This also proved that Marie, whether famous or not, was just a squid with feelings and normal insecurities like any other. Not that Four really had the idol held in any high pedestal anyway, except for the fact that she can sing and burst puns all of a sudden.

Four was not offended. In fact, she could somehow understand, despite the fact that she’s not a star herself. Relationships, whether partonic or romantic, were hard.

If Marie was seeking validation about their relationship, then she should give her some. 

“I couldn’t leave you alone in that state.” Four replied, choosing her words as careful as possible. “But it’s not because you are Marie of the Squid Sisters.” She then quickly added, “I didn’t even recognize you when you lured me into this sketchy shack.”

To Four’s surprise, the idol looked like she’d just been reminded of something. She turned to stare at the agent. 

“Did Callie say something to you behind my back?” Marie asked, quicky catching on. For a moment, the usually sharp and witty green inkling was back. 

Four wondered if it was okay for her to tell Marie that Callie did. Though she didn’t want to lie to her former mentor too, so the agent just briefly brushed it off. 

“Well, she just asked me some things for clarification. To Callie, I was just a stranger squid who popped out of nowhere to save her after all. It’s fine.”

But Marie was not having any of it, one brow puckered up in contemplation. “I won’t burst your bubble if your determined to keep the secret, but I get the gist.” She chuckled at the end. Four had a feeling Marie’s mood was lightening up and she herself smiled too.

“Guess I can’t hide anything from you, huh.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

They both shared a laugh at the end. Four always liked these small moments between her and Marie; when the idol would drop her usual abrasive attitude and soften up. Sometimes she even seemed motherly. Not that she minded when Marie she was sarcastic and sometimes grouchy, there was a certain kind of charm as well. 

“You know, Four.” Marie’s voice rang again after a brief silence. “I have something on my mind lately.”

Four rubbed her gloved hands together, although there was no significant reason; she just felt like doing it. “Yea, I know.” 

It was hard not to notice, the agent considered herself a quite observant person. She liked to keep her close friends and intimidate family members happy all the time. Of course, Marie was no exception. Four developed a habit to observe the idol’s moods whenever they were together. 

“You knew?” Marie’s mouth opened slightly in shock, but it didn’t last long. Four wondered why was she so surprised and the idol then laughed out loud. Her laughter ringing through the crispy winter air unfiltered. 

“Cod, and you said you can’t hide anything from me.” Marie said while she wiped at one of her eyes. Four didn’t get what was so funny about this. “It makes me feel kinda silly for asking.”

Four grinned, deciding to go along with it, and dangled her feet idlily in the air from the rooftop. She was completely sober now; her head cleared from the increasing dizziness that clouded her consciousness back at the shack. 

"I have been meaning to tell you this for a long time now.”

She felt her right shoulder being grabbed by a hand. The agent looked aside instinctively and met Marie’s eyes, her golden orbs harbouring some sort of supressed emotion that she couldn’t quite make out. 

Four blinked. She’d never seen Marie so serious before, aside from matters regarding Callie and life or death. For some reasons, her own heart started pulsing, and fast, at the idol’s very expression. 

She was about to say something witty in response to Marie’s sudden change of demeanour, but what she heard afterwards made her froze on the spot.

* * *

“I like you, Four.”

The moment Marie said those words, she felt strangely liberated. It was no brainer though; she’d been supressing her own emotions for all this time. At times she would talk about it with Callie, but the idol knew in the end, it was up to herself if she wanted anything to happen between her and Four.

Since this afternoon, the thoughts of her insecurities had gotten the better of her and she remained more silent than she would have liked to act. Marie even drank more than she would normally too; a small part of her hoping that the alcohol would grant her liquid courage.

Marie was not the type to conceal her true thoughts and feelings, so the whole thing with Four had been secretly killing her inside. Despite that she still hesitated. Afraid to know what the agent truly thought of her and if worse comes to worst, their friendship would be ruined.

After all of her failed relationships, deep down, Marie remained insecure and even vulnerable. 

Although she never told anyone, including her cousin.

Marie did not exactly plan to confess at this particular moment, but Four had given her the assurance she needed to hear so badly. So, she just went for it. 

Four’s reaction was what she’d expected. But Marie noted the agent looked mostly flustered and surprised, by the yellow blush rushing to her cheeks and it was understandable. Confessing on Christmas Day itself seemed to be straight out of a cheesy romance novel, something Marie never really cared for. At least there was no sign of reluctant or worst, disgust, visible on the yellow inkling’s face. Okay, now she was just overthinking. 

Under Four’s dumbfounded expression, she gently took hold of the agent’s hand in her own. But then, Marie realized Four was wearing gloves. 

What came out of her sharp mouth next was completely impulsive. 

“These are in the way.”

There was a moment of silence. Marie internally facepalmed herself at her imprudent mouth, but still tried to maintain her composure. As she debated her next action, Four laughed.

“What the heck?” The agent was laughing so hard, she snorted, “That’s what you have to say after saying that?”

Marie’s astonishment at the agent’s ability to laugh in such circumstances did not last long. This was the same inkling who reacted to her sudden outbursts of puns. She grinned, feeling her apprehension fade, and rubbed the thick fabric of Four’s gloved hand with a finger.

“I’m saying the truth. This really is in the way.”

“You are unbelievable!” Four choked out, still in fits of amusement. For some reasons, the little moment had tickled Four’s funny bone and she just couldn’t stop. Her laughter so pure despite her adult years. Marie’s solemn expression fell apart and she too couldn’t help but laugh as well.

Suction Cup Lookout, despite being a warehouse area long abandoned by octarians, now pilled with deep inches of snow that crystalized the whole landscape, was filled with continuous laughter from the two inklings.

Marie did not know what she was laughing about, but she laughed anyway. All of these, at this particular moment, just felt right. In a way, it was almost magical.

Soon, the two’s giggles died down, peace returning to this snowy winter land. Four tried to catch her breath, reaching a hand up to her eyes and rubbing away tears that she’d choked up. 

Marie watched the agent quietly, her eyes soft and sparking with adoration. 

She tightened her hold on Four’s fingers, whispering,

“Go out with me?”

From all the things Four expected Marie to do, whether it was a playful banter, a joke at her expense, the idol would always find a way to exceed her expectations and make her heart flutter. The simple sentence, said ever so candidly, set Four’s world alight with imaginary fireworks inside her own mind.

What else would her answer be?

Four looked down onto their entangled hands. Her heart so soft with tenderness that at this moment, it would have melted into a puddle if it could. 

“Yeah.” Four answered, her voice equally low. Her mind was still high from the adrenaline rush in all the laughing, but her heart felt calmer and steadier than it had ever been. 

Marie smiled; joy so apparent from the wide curve of her lips. But there was no exaggeration of glee that her long supressed feelings were finally accepted. It felt natural, like they were meant to be together, in one way or another. 

The current look on her newly established girlfriend’s face was so adorable that Marie couldn’t help but pat her head. 

“It’s already been confirmed that every time we are alone, we always end up giving each other funny feelings anyway.”

Four obediently let Marie rub her tentacles. Although she felt a bit ticklish, the yellow inkling still enjoyed the affectionate gesture. She thought back to their various moments together, both awkward and at times emotionally ambiguous as they tried to figure out their own feelings towards each other, and vice versa. 

“I can’t argue with that.” She felt Marie’s hand leave her head. With a slight hesitation and pursed lips, Four slipped her hand out of Marie’s hold and peeled the glove off. She was never the initiative type, but with the chance now presenting itself, the agent just couldn’t continue to act dense and let Marie do all the work.

With her hand now exposed to the chilly temperament, Four reached for the next best thing that she was sure could give her the source of warmth she needed; one that works even better than the glove, her girlfriend’s own hand.

This was kind of nerve-wracking, especially for someone as romantically inexperienced as Four. She repressed the sudden surge of shyness that sent heat waves throughout her face and went for it. The warmth of Marie’s hand was just perfect and Four stared down onto the snow piled below their linked hands, heartbeat doubling rapidly. 

Marie didn’t say anything, because her actions spoke louder. She slipped her slender fingers through the gaps of Four’s bare hand. The agent remained quiet, but couldn’t resist the wide grin she was sprouting at the sudden increase of intimacy. 

“You are awfully shy when it comes to these things, huh?”

Four sense the slight tease in Marie’s light-hearted and mirthful tone. Abruptly, she remembered reading news and rumours of Marie previous relationships all over the internet. A slight discomfort rose inside her chest.

“Unlike a certain someone, I never dated before.” 

Cod, was the sourness in her sentence obvious as day. She knew Marie was older than her and would obviously have some relationships before, being a famous pop star and all, but she was still admittedly a bit jealous. 

No reply. Four waited a few more seconds to see how Marie would answer, but it never came. Instinctively, she turned aside to look at her companion but was instead taken aback by Marie’s enlarged face. 

She placed a kiss beside Four’s mouth, and the blush on her face deepened. Yellow orbs meet golden ones, faces mere inches apart; either of the inklings said anything, because there was no need for words. Deep down, both knew what was it that the other wanted. 

Marie grazed a thumb over Four’s hand, gently coddling it. Still a blushing mess but determined to return the sentiment, she copied what the idol did to her. Marie let out an airy, satisfied chuckle. 

After what felt like an eternity, the idol slowly reached a hand up to cup Four’s cheek. Their eyes met again, bodies now closer than ever – like how sometimes their shoulder would touch while they talked in front of the shack, but this time it felt completely different. 

“Guess I am your first, huh?” 

Marie said with the softest of voices. Her current expression was so tender and full of adoration that it made Four feel lightheaded; she could hardly believe she was the one squid Marie was making the face to. Although it still didn’t change the fact that she was teasing her. 

“I – Enough of the teasing.” Four mumbled, turning sideways in flustered infatuation. Cod, she really was not used to this. 

With her hands, Marie cupped Four’s face and turned her around. The agent barely had any time to react when she felt softness brushing across her own lips.

“Close your eyes.” 

Four heard Marie say. And she obediently did so, enveloping her whole world into darkness. Heat rose from Four’s stomach to her chest while Marie continued to brush their lips together, experimenting, trying not to scare the younger inkling. 

Four pulled back momentarily after, already flushed and unsure what to do. She’d never kissed anyone, only hearing stories of such matters from her friends, and it was already proven to be quite a sensual experience. 

The idol regarded Four with a searching look before abruptly pulling her forwards. This time, her lips mashed against hers; completely different from the previous kiss. Four’s whole body tingled when she felt Marie’s tongue trace over her upper lip sensually, asking for entrance. 

The agent parted her lips and almost immediately, a wave of warmth and sharp thrills washed over her. Four tightened her grip on Marie’s shoulder while the latter explored her, almost hungrily, desperately, all her supressed emotions left unsaid being conveyed perfectly at this moment. 

The yellow inkling fought back a low, moan-like grunt when Marie pulled back – only very slightly, and pressed her hot lips onto Four’s neck. Her mind was slumped in a blissful daze, panting quietly for breath, while Marie made her way to her collarbone.

Four always knew she had visible collarbone that was deep. One of her friends even jokingly said it adds to her sex appeal. The agent never really believed it until now - as Marie sucked on the sensitive skin and even a few nibbles. 

When Four thought Marie was done, she craned her head upwards, pulled the agent close and leaned in again. Locked in another heated lip lock, Marie wrapped her arms around Four’s neck to prevent her from being pushed backwards and attempting to terminate any space between them. 

Four didn’t know how much time had passed; the idol’s scent made her lighter than she thought she could. Eventually Marie did let Four go, planting a final kiss on her forehead, and the agent parted her mouth for the long-needed intake of oxygen. 

“You are adorable, you know that?”

It felt almost dreamlike. Four, still panting slightly, glanced over to Marie. She already regained some of her usual composure, unlike the agent, who was still wobbly in the knees after such an intense session. 

Four mumbled, “Now I know.” She then cuddled into Marie’s arms which were somehow around her waist now, with one cheek rested against the idol’s shoulder. Last she checked; those same arms were still around her neck. As expected of someone experienced.

The two of them stayed that way until Four suddenly spoke up, her tone slightly reluctant. 

“Maybe we should head back now, or the others are gonna come worry about us.”

Marie hummed. “We should probably get going then.”

Despite her words, Four was still secured inside her arms. Marie looked like she’d no intention of getting up and going back to the shack. Even though Four didn’t want to leave such a warm embrace herself, they would have to go back sooner or later anyway. She patted Marie on her arm and the idol soon relented, releasing her. 

The inklings then descended down from atop of the building. It was unknown who had reached out first, but they held hands while walking back to Cuttlefish Cabin. 

“Looks like I need to thank Callie.”

“Was she, like, rooting on for us? I always had a feeling.”

“That should be pretty obvious, Four. All that’s left for her to actually do was to physically push us together and yell at us to kiss.”

“Haha, like the meme?”

“Yeah. And something about mistletoe too.”

“Mistletoe?”

“I will tell you when we have the time.”

“If you say it like that, it makes me even more curious…”

The scenery at Octo Canyon was still the same as they first came, but the dynamic of their relationship had changed drastically and they were more than happy for it. 

That includes a certain pink inkling who happened to be outside when the couple walked back to the shack, hand in hand, and squealed so loud she alerted the others inside. 

Of course, that was another story. 

* * *

End notes:

I wasn’t feeling very well when I wrote this, but I hope you all enjoyed it regardless. The make-out session wasn’t originally intended but I felt like it was needed. 

Thank you for reading, and the kudos. Last but not least, Merry Christmas!


End file.
